The present invention relates to an improved fastener, and more particularly to a hinge-type fastener for joining the belt ends of a conveyor belt, which may be utilized for harvesting or other transport operations.
Harvester belts of the type disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 864,972, filed May 20, 1986 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,587, have a pair of belts spaced from each other and spanned by parallel grading rods. The grading rods are fastened at opposite ends to the belts with the respective axes of the belts being parallel and the rods being equally spaced along the top surfaces of the belts. The belts are endless when joined together at opposed belt ends by belt fasteners having intermeshed hinge loops coupled with a hinge rod or pin inserted into the hinge loops to form a hinged joint between the belt ends. As disclosed in the aforesaid application, the hinge pin is also a grading rod, spanning the belts with opposite hinge pin ends inserted into the hinge loops. These hinge pin ends are a smaller diameter than the full diameter of the central grading rod portion of the hinge pin. The reduction in diameter defines an internal shoulder located adjacent the inner edge of each belt fastener and these shoulders will abut the inner hinge loops at either belt side to prevent the belt ends from sliding laterally with the hinge loops. If the hinge pin were not formed with these shoulders, the hinge pin would work its way laterally from the hinge loops on one side, causing a failure of this hinge splice. The reduction in diameter makes these hinge pins weaker at the belt splice ends of the grading rods.
Typically, the outer edges of the respective belts and/or belt fasteners travel within enclosures that include side edge guides. These side edge guides determined the maximum width for the conveyor belt. Also, as explained in the above-identified patent application, it is preferred that the hinge pin be on and remain on the same arcuate path of travel as the other grading rods to minimize radial inward or outward movement of the belt fasteners and the belt attached thereto. This radially inward and outward movement of the non-flexible belt fasteners has heretofore resulted in a "clunking" sound and vibrations. Also, this radial movement and flexing of the belt subjects the belt to wear and to elongation of the belt apertures for the fastener bolts securing the belt fasteners to the belt ends.
As explained in the above-identified copending patent application, the belt fasteners are preferably identical in shape rather than having male and female shaped belt fasteners, thereby reducing inventory requirements in half. Thus, the present invention provides identically-shaped belt fasteners, which allow a full-diameter hinge pin rod to be inserted to couple the belt fasteners together without causing undue radial flexing or bumping of the belt and belt fasteners as they pass about the pulleys or drive sprockets therefor. Retainers hold the ends of the full-diameter hinge pins from sliding laterally from hinge-receiving loops intermeshed between adjacent belt fasteners on opposite ends of a belt. The retainers are mounted within the outer edges of the belt.